According to a Press Release issued on January 19th, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) issued third-quarter (October to December, 2017) non-tax gaming revenue payments totalling $27,569,501 to 24 communities which currently host gaming facilities. To date, host communities have received more than $1.4 billion in non-tax gaming revenue. According to the Windsor Star, Windsor received $2,288,389 as a result of hosting Caesars Windsor. Since May 1994, Windsor has received more than $46.3 million in non-tax gaming revenue.

“OLG’s host fees provide municipalities with important funds to enable investments in their communities,” Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said in a media release announcing the payment. “People all across Ontario benefit from OLG revenues that support broader public services including health care and education.”

These payments are made under an equitable formula in the Municipality Contribution Agreement that determines the funds municipalities receive for hosting a gaming facility and are based on a graduated scale of gaming revenue that is consistent across all sites in Ontario.

At approximately $2 billion annually, OLG provides the Ontario government with its largest source of non-tax revenue. In fiscal 2017-2018, the province will allocate $115 million in gaming revenue to support charities through the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Every year, the Government of Ontario allocates funding to the province’s problem gambling program for research, treatment and prevention. The amount for fiscal 2017-2018 is $38 million.